The present invention is directed to a formulation for a fried egg product and process to prepare a premium formulated fried egg for consumption. It is anticipated that the formulated fried egg product will be refrigerated and/or frozen for future heating within a microwave, convection oven or griddle for consumption as a stand alone food item or as a portion of a composite food article. The formulated fried egg has a texture and other sensory perceptions similar to a naturally fried egg.
In the past, formulated fried eggs have been formed by the filling of a mold with a liquid egg mixture and then cooking the liquid egg mixture within the mold. Many problems have arisen through the implementation of this processing methodology. Formulated fried eggs produced according to the above-identified methods exhibit undesirable sensory perceptions related to the appearance, taste and texture as compared to a freshly fried egg.
One method to address these issues has been with the use of a frozen, formulated, frozen egg yolk piece that is placed in a mold that is then flooded with an egg white mixture (US005665416A; US00D376251; US005620735A; US00D373234). This invention overcomes the limitations of previous attempts to achieve a formulated fried egg product that has similar appearance, taste, and texture of a fried shell egg through the use of process and ingredient technology.
Manderfeld, U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,416, teaches the use of a simulated egg patty which is formed through the use of a predetermined amount of yolk which is frozen and which is gel-like and self supporting for combination with a frozen shaped predetermined amount of egg white. The product is then cooked to obtain a simulated patty.
Manderfeld, U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,735, teaches the use of simulated egg yolks and whites which are shaped and frozen to provide a gel-like yolk structure which is self supporting and essentially retains its shape upon thawing. The shaped egg yolk portion and egg white portion after combining are cooked to form a simulated patty.
Cox, U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,072, teaches the use of a modified and simulated liquid poultry egg where the yolk composition may be used in baking or combined with egg white, a modified egg white, or a simulated egg white to produce a simulated blended whole poultry egg composition. Further, this patent teaches the use of treating the egg composition with an oxidizing gas in an amount effective for reducing bacterial count and heating the composition to a temperature effective for further reducing the bacterial count without substantially denaturing the composition, degassing the composition, and cooling the composition at a rate sufficient to stabilize the blend.
A need exists to develop a formulated fried egg which is more appealing in appearance and taste and which is susceptible to freezing and reheating within a conventional oven or microwave heating prior to consumption.
In the past the cooking and freezing or extended refrigeration of a formulated fried egg has lead to a loss of a cohesive texture and the degradation of other sensory perceptions such as mouth feel, taste, elasticity, and/or the food product not being tender or appealing to an individual.
Another common problem encountered is syneresis, or the loss of water when frozen and reheated, or when stored for an extended period of time under refrigeration.
In the past, formulation and processing conditions during the cooking procedure for the formulated fried eggs have caused loss of elasticity, and have resulted is a non-smooth, non-cohesive texture. In addition, this has resulted in a product that is not tender and fails to easily fracture and break like a fried shell egg. The cooking of the formulated fried egg at an elevated temperature, to minimize the duration of the cooking time, frequently results in the degradation of the texture of the formulated fried egg. Also, during rapid cooking the formulated fried eggs easily dehydrate and form a crust which is unappealing.
The rate of cooking of the formulated fried eggs and the temperature of the oven, or other cooking vessel, also frequently cause the formation of an excessive volume of air bubbles, which in turn, interrupt the structure of the formulated fried egg destroying the smooth, cohesive texture.
It is also desirable to provide a formulated fried egg which is natural in appearance. In the past, formulated fried eggs have included a symmetrically centered egg yolk that does not appear to be natural. Natural fried eggs, with a broken yolk, exhibit a random yolk appearance.